What is the Bee🐝 Effect? | Gitanjali Rajamani posted on the topic | LinkedIn (2024)

"Growing crops to feed animals that are used to feed humans is less efficient than feeding humans with crops."While this statement seems obvious, the logical conclusions drawn from it regarding climate change solutions can be misleading, if not entirely counterproductive. 📊 Firstly, growing crops is indeed an integral part of meat production, since crops are the primary components of animal feed. This interdependence would suggest that we cannot compare the efficiency of these systems as if they were independent, because the first is embedded in the second. For example, the footprint of beef includes the footprint of the corn and soy used to feed the cattle, leading to a form of double counting regarding water, energy, land-use and emissions in the case of animal-sourced foods (#ASF).☘️🌈🥩 Still, the statement could hold true if crops could provide humans with the same nutrients as meat. We know that ASF will invariably be less efficient than plants, because they use more energy, water and land and emit more GHG. However, the picture changes considerably when comparing plants and meat at the same caloric content (kcal), absolute dry matter content, or percentage of protein provided at a specific biological value, taking into account purposes and biological functions.🧐 So what is the reason for that difference in efficiency between plants and meat? To convert partially human-indigestible plants into high-digestible and bioavailable food for humans. This conversion process by means of animals (both ruminants and monogastrics, domestic and wild animals) necessarily demands more energy, water, land and emits more GHG. 🤔 Ultimately, what is the true sense of that naturally occuring inefficiency? While admittedly at the cost of more energy, resources and emissions, it is to add complexity to the system - a #complexity that drives biodiversity, which in turn allows the maintenance of the food web, the sustaining of life and the recirculation of nutrients, beyond human nutrition. And, indeed, this process must take some energy from somewhere 😲!🆘 To continue comparing plants and meat for efficiency, and only for efficiency, in our current approach to solve climate change, excluding their vital contribution to complexity and biodiversity, is a costly oversimplification. Especially since this oversimplification applies as well to the accounting of resources, such as water, energy, land-use, and GHG.💡 Fortunately, animal-sourced foods are less efficient than crops used to feed humans! In fact, that is exactly the role they are meant to play in our complex systems, adding value at the cost of spending more energy, and we should acknowledge that and give it the attention it deserves. More thoughts in comments ⬇️#efficiency #biodiversity #complexity #meat #plant #food #resources #GHG #sustainabilityPhoto: what's left from an organic lamb rib full of complexity!Language and content revision: Deanna Philpott (TESOL)Credits: Jordi Foto

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💵 💵 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 💵 💵 𝑭𝒂𝒓𝒎 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 & 𝑰𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 of Table Grapes, Avocados, Citrus, Berries, Leafy greens and Onions in the US, LATAM and EMEA– this is an important read for you. As the agricultural landscape evolves, the key to thriving in the market isn’t just about what you grow—it's about how you grow it. 🌍 The shift towards sustainable farming practices and investing in crop resilience and soil biodiversity is more than a trend—it’s a profitable strategy with long-term value.1. 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝Did you know that consumers are increasingly willing to pay a premium for sustainably grown produce? 🌱 According to a recent NielsenIQ survey, 73% of global consumers say they are willing to change their consumption habits to reduce environmental impact. 🌍𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎:1.Premium Pricing: Sustainably grown crops are fetching higher market prices 2.Be First : Retailers and food companies are prioritizing suppliers with sustainable practices, opening doors to new partnerships and markets.3.Future-Proofing: Regulatory bodies are moving towards stricter sustainability standards, meaning that early adopters will be better positioned to comply with future regulations.Follow us to read the next post about 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞🌟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐰! 🌟The future of agriculture is clear—sustainability and resilience are not just ethical choices, but smart business decisions. Investing in these areas will not only increase your farm’s profitability today but will secure its success for generations to come.Let's Connect! If you're ready to explore how ACTIVEWATER, and Rivulis Irrigation can help your farm lead in sustainability and resilience, contact us today at 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐@𝒂𝒍𝒗𝒂-𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓.𝒄𝒐𝒎Powered by GoldenCare Media #SustainableFarming #CropResilience #SoilBiodiversity #FarmManagement #AgriTech #ALVATECH #FutureFarming #Agriculture #FarmProfitability #SmartFarming#TableGrapes #Avocados #Citrus #Berries #Leafygreens #Onions #USagri #LATAMagri

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73% of global consumers say they are willing to change their consumption habits to reduce environmental impact! Farm owners, the shift towards sustainable farming practices and investing in crop resilience and soil biodiversity is more than a trend—𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞.

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Pushing for better sustainable farming methods and practices is crucial to ensuring the longevity of our food production systems.ProNuvo, an innovative company in Costa Rica, has found a creative way to produce higher quality animal feed from fly larvae for a fraction of the carbon footprint cost.Producing one ton of beef requires 15.4 million litres of water, soybeans require 1.6 million litres, while the larvae only consume 10,000 liters - the production time is substantially shorter as well!You can learn more about this amazing process by following here:https://lnkd.in/et2Hpg39#SustainableFarming#GreenFarming#SustainableDevelopment

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Thoughts for food.Ask, who is more important for the future of (Australian) Agriculture? The chicken, the egg, the scientist or the periurban strategic planner?Do we commit to farming or inventing the future food solutions to improve #foodsecurity and achieve #ZeroHunger? How do you farm when there are no farms left?Why do Agricultural industry sectors need to work closer and equally communicate more often with local governments based in the growing regions across Australia? How can we embed a circular economy of knowledge sharing, state of play reporting and outputs of informed decision-making for the local future of farming and food?Flashback time ...In 2018, a multi-generational organic farmer in Belgium, whilst I was on an AgEdu tour said to me:• Australia is still a young country (for industrial agriculture), you still have time to save your soils (soil health), and farm directly into the earth, to access the minerals and nutrients for open field grown vegetables (and fruit orchards).• Europe has had to expand into glasshouses to feed our population, as we have built over good healthy soils or monoculture overworked them (with chemicals), so that now, we have to concrete them over to grow large volumes of foods in substrates.• We excel in the advancement of Agri-Tech solutions because we don't have the land or the livestock left, to continue to nurture the natural-tech relationship of Mother Nature and Farmers, anymore.He was referring to both the dependence on the mega-scale glasshouses, and the emergence of lab-grown foods.Yes, but what if we are not on the map?! ...This discussion was on a tour with AUSVEG and Hort Innovation, when I worked full time in Australian Horticulture. However my PeriUrban Strategic Planner ears and mind were equally deep listening, to how we needed town planning and the agricultural industry, to be working in closer, in collaboration to clearly communicate what decisions were needed, to continue to house and feed our growing and often displaced population.Knowledge toolkit ...What's the research that informs the need to retain and support periurban farming?• Foodprint Melbourne: Planning a resilient city food system https://lnkd.in/gu787BuY• Consensus statement: Towards a healthy, regenerative and equitable food system in Victoria https://lnkd.in/ghP4K2FKImage 1: Taken from an article Decline in cultivated meat Agtech funding. https://lnkd.in/gexkmMhcImage 2: Report: Roadmap for a resilient and sustainable Melbourne foodbowl - Infographic: Resilient Food Supply Chain https://lnkd.in/geCSMQtN

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🤔Dear farmers and gardeners, let's embark on a journey of love and care 💗for the earth 🌍, our crops, and our well-being. By promoting a sustainable food future, we can create a world where our yields are not just abundant but also bursting with health and goodness.1️⃣ Return to Nature: Let's embrace practices that work in harmony with nature. Organic farming enriches the soil, encourages benefcial insects, and nurtures biodiversity. This love for nature translates into healthier, more vibrant crops.2️⃣ Ditch Harmful Chemicals: Say goodbye to harmful pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. They may offer quick fxes, but they harm our soil, water, and health. Choose natural alternatives to protect our precious ecosystems.3️⃣ Preserve Seeds: Saving and sharing seeds isn't just a tradition; it's an act of love. By preserving and exchanging seeds, we safeguard the genetic diversity of our crops and ensure resilient harvests.4️⃣ Support Local: When we buy local produce, we support our neighbors and promote sustainable agriculture. This kindness keeps our communities thriving and our plates flled with fresh, nutritious food.5️⃣ Teach and Share: Share your knowledge and love for sustainable practices with others. Inspire the next generation of farmers and gardeners to continue this legacy of caring for the land.6️⃣ Healthier Bodies: By nurturing the soil, we nurture ourselves. Sustainable farming yields fruits and vegetables bursting with nutrients, promoting our own well-being and that of our loved ones.Let's farm and garden🥬 with love, knowing that each seed we plant and each crop we tend is a step toward a sustainable food future flled with healthier yields, stronger communities, and a world where every bite we take is a taste of the love and care we've sown into the earth.

Empowering Change: Harnessing the Power of Organic Farming for Climate Resilience in AgricultureAs our world grapples with the urgent realities of climate change, it's imperative that we explore sustainable solutions to safeguard our food systems. 🌍 Today, I'm inspired to shed light on the transformative potential of organic farming in building climate resilience within the agricultural sector.Organic farming isn't just about what we grow; it's a philosophy that nurtures our planet while ensuring food security for generations to come. 🌿 By prioritizing soil health, biodiversity preservation, and water conservation, organic practices offer a holistic approach to farming that mitigates the impacts of climate change.🌾 Soil Health: Healthy soils are the foundation of agriculture, and organic farming methods prioritize soil regeneration through practices like crop rotation, composting, and minimal tillage. By enhancing soil structure and carbon sequestration, organic farming not only boosts crop yields but also mitigates greenhouse gas emissions.💧 Water Conservation: Water scarcity poses a significant challenge to agriculture, particularly in regions vulnerable to drought. Organic farming techniques such as mulching, intercropping, and rainwater harvesting help conserve water and improve crop resilience in the face of erratic rainfall patterns.🐞 Biodiversity Preservation: Organic farming fosters biodiversity both above and below the ground, creating ecosystems that support natural pest control and pollination. By avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, organic farmers create habitats for beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife, strengthening ecosystem resilience.🌩️ Resilience to Extreme Weather Events: With climate change leading to more frequent and severe weather events, organic farming offers a buffer against crop failure. Diverse cropping systems and resilient soil structures help farmers withstand storms, floods, and heat waves, ensuring food security in the face of adversity.The transition to organic farming isn't just an environmental imperative; it's also a smart business decision. Consumers around the world are increasingly demanding sustainably produced food, and organic farming presents an opportunity for farmers to tap into lucrative markets while safeguarding the planet.#OrganicFarming #ClimateResilience #SustainableAgriculture #FoodSecurity #LinkedInForGood #organicexpo

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From Agroforestry to Climate-Smart Coffee Regions 🌳🌎 With the start of 2024, we have transitioned into a new program phase. In the next five years, we will focus on:🗺️ 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲-𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴.In the past years, our measures have been aiming at climate-resilient livelihoods of smallholder coffee farming families and their farms farms. Now, we extend our focus from the farm and community to the landscape level. In a participatory approach, we cooperate with various stakeholders on site to assess the respective landscape and develop joint action plans.🐛 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.Sustainable land-use systems such as agroforestry and regenerative agriculture provide various benefits such as better climate resilience of farm systems and biodiversity, carbon reduction and sequestration, and better food security and income sources for farming families. We will therefore further explore these systems and support their implementation.♻️ 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.Coffee as a cash crop plays an important role in sustaining millions of livelihoods around the world. Therefore, it is critical to understand how and where greenhouse gas emissions are emitted from coffee production and processing. We will conduct carbon footprint analyses at farm and household level in all c&c program regions and aim to identify the most suitable carbon reduction and sequestration strategies per region.🍴 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀.Food security is a human right that is increasingly put at risk by the impacts of climate change. Particularly in coffee-growing regions, food security is an issue as farmers often focus on cash crop rather than on food production. We will therefore intensify the promotion of climate-smart practices that improve the families’ food security.#Agroforestry #RegenerativeAgriculture #CarbonSequestration #FoodSecurity #CoffeeFarming

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Bees, beans and sustainability!The sheer magnitude of work carried out by bees is magnificent and it makes them an inseparable part of coffee plantations. As pollinators, they help to preserve the quality and flavor of coffee beans. This aspect of integrated farming always fascinates me. While the majority of coffee production is managed by our people, bees deserve to be credited for pollinating some of the rich varieties. The health of the bees are also deeply interlinked with the quality of beans harvested. To ensure healthy hives and to promote sustainable beekeeping, Kelachandra Coffee has implemented several initiatives including training programs for local farmers, pollinator-friendly habitats, integrated pest management strategies and research studies in collaboration with agricultural universities and research institutions.Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gr6NuCE5#beekeeping #sustainablefarming

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Bramley Apples Go Green: Puratos’ sustainable farming practices🍏At Puratos, we’re tackling the sustainability challenge head-on! Nestled in the heart of the UK’s fruit production, our Bramley apple orchard in Kent serves as a pilot for sustainable farming practices. 🌿Given the risks to soil biodiversity posed by intensive farming, we’ve partnered withour orchard manager, Swailey Love, to explore practices that not only reduce our environmental impact but also promote soil health. 🌱Although we’re still in the early stages of this initiative, our optimism is boundless. Using a science-based approach, we aim to enhance the soil biodiversity of our orchard. This could potentially improve the yield, taste, and texture of our Bramley apples. Our goal is to provide our customers and consumers a cost-effective, sustainable, and locally sourced Bramley apple fruit preparation that boasts an amazing crunch and authentic taste.It is also clearly contributing to a lower environmental impact and supporting our sustainable ambition and helping our customer and our end consumer to lower their environmental impact (including their scope 3 CO2 emission).We’re thrilled to share the insights gained from this pilot across our supply chain, supporting other fruit growers in their transition. Together, we can ensure a fruitful future for all! 🌍For those interested in learning more about our sustainability efforts,we encourage you to explore the latestPuratos CSR report.Dive deeper into our commitments to you and future generations.#Sustainability #Puratos #BramleyApple #SustainableFarming #SoilHealth

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